Smith, Arthur Britton

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Britton_Smith
  • Wiki Biography:
    • Arthur Britton Smith CM OOnt MC CD KC (May 13, 1920 – October 28, 2023) was a Canadian philanthropist, businessperson, historical writer, lawyer, and war veteran.
    • Arthur Britton Smith was born in Kingston, Ontario on May 13, 1920, the son of Cyril Middleton Smith, a lawyer, and Edna Madeline Smith (née Spooner). Both his parents were originally from Manitoba. He and three sisters were raised in Kingston (plus one who died as a toddler), growing up on Stuart Street and Kensington Avenue. He received his primary and secondary education at Victoria Public School and Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute.
    • Smith’s unit went to the front lines on the night of July 11. On July 20, Smith was artillery Forward Observation Officer (FOO) with a company of the Fusiliers Mont-Royal (FMR), a French-Canadian infantry unit, during fierce and bloody fighting in the area of Verrières, just south of Caen (it was standard practise for the artillery troop commanders to act as FOOs—to in effect lead from the front).
    • On the morning of July 25, Smith was a FOO with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry during an attack on Verriéres village. As he advanced through a grain field, in dim pre-dawn light, his Universal Carrier—a small, light-tracked armoured vehicle commonly called a “Bren gun carrier”—detonated a German anti-tank mine. Smith’s driver was instantly killed. Despite a lining of sandbags in the bottom of the Carrier, Smith’s right leg was badly shattered and he was thrown high into the air and out of the vehicle.[ At least four enemy machine guns began firing at the area where the flash of the exploding mine had been seen. Smith and his two signallers crawled away through the grain field, with machine gun bullets being shot all around. One of the bullets ricocheted off the ground and hit Smith in the side of his head, embedding itself behind his right ear. Smith was evacuated from the war zone and ultimately repatriated to Canada in November 1944.
    • In addition to having won the Military Cross for gallantry, Smith received several service medals to recognize his war service: the 1939–1945 Star; the France and Germany Star; the Defence Medal; the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with overseas bar; and the War Medal 1939–1945. In 2014, the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Normandy, Smith’s wartime service was further recognized when France awarded him its ordre national de la Légion d’honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honour)
  • Third Great Grandson of Proven Loyalist in Loyalist Directory – https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=8268
  • Find a GRAVE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/264141917/arthur_britton-smith